Oleksandra Ivashchenko

UMC Groningen

In short, the research of Oleksandra Ivashchenko entails the following:

Reducing Imaging-Associated Radiation Dose in Childhood Cancer to Minimize the Risk of Secondary Cancer Later in Life

Every year, around 600 children in the Netherlands are diagnosed with cancer. Many of these cancers are rare and require frequent medical imaging, such as PET/CT scans, to guide treatment. Although these scans are very important, they also expose children to ionizing radiation, which can be harmful—especially for growing bodies. Over time, repeated scans can increase the risk of secondary cancer later in life.

This project aims to make PET/CT scans much safer for children by using artificial intelligence (AI). By teaching computer models to reconstruct high-quality images from very low-dose scans, we hope to drastically reduce radiation exposure without losing important medical information. The AI methods will be tested across different hospitals and scanner types to ensure they work reliably for children of all ages. Ultimately, this research will help improve both the safety and quality of care for young patients with cancer.